HRH The Duke of Gloucester visits research centre for heart disease

HRH The Duke of Gloucester is to witness at first hand the life-saving work taking place at the University, working in partnership with Leicester’s Hospitals, when he visits the new British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Research Centre at Glenfield Hospital.

The Centre, which is a part of the University of Leicester, is a multi-million pound facility that brings together scientists, doctors and patients with the aim of improving the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases which kill more than 160,000 people in the UK annually.

The Duke is visiting the £12.6 million centre on Thursday 26 March after attending the service at Leicester Cathedral for the reinterment of King Richard III. Leicester archaeologists discovered the king and its researchers formally identified him.

The Duke will be accompanied by the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University Professor Paul Boyle, the Chief Executive of the University Hospitals NHS Trust Mr John Adler, and Professor Alison Goodall, Professor of Thrombosis & Haemostasis in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences and College Lead for Clinical Research, University of Leicester.

Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, BHF Professor of Cardiology and Head of the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Leicester, said: “We are delighted that HRH The Duke of Gloucester has made time to visit the Cardiovascular Research Centre during his trip to Leicester. In addition to showing him the research we undertake which impacts on prevention and treatment of heart diseases through improved understanding of their causes, we hope to demonstrate how we created the Centre through engagement with our local community and their tremendous philanthropic support”.

Professor Nigel Brunskill, Director of Research and Innovation at Leicester’s Hospitals and Professor of Renal Medicine at the University of Leicester, said "We are extremely pleased to have HRH The Duke of Gloucester visit our Trust and to have the opportunity to showcase our groundbreaking work and talented staff. We are very proud at Leicester’s Hospitals of what we have, and are continuing to achieve, in such a vital area."

The Centre is the first four-storey building at Glenfield Hospital and adjoins the existing Clinical Sciences wing which houses the University’s medical research and teaching facilities. The 2,200m² eye catching building further strengthens and consolidates Leicester’s position as a leading international centre for heart research, thanks to the successful collaboration between the University of Leicester and University Hospitals Leicester.